Toilet article



' J. MRCINNES TOILET ARTICLE Nav. 27. 1923. 1,475,490

Filed July 20. 1922 Patented Nov. 27, 1923.

era-rear ermee.

JESSE MACINNES, or JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, Assieuon or ONE-HALE 'ro HENRY C. KAELsoN, 0E HASBEOUCK HEIGHTS, NEW,UJESEY.y

TOILET ARTICLE.

Application led July 20,

To all whom imm/concern.' v

Be it known that I, JESSE MACINNES, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toilet Articles, of which the following is a specihcation. l

This invention relates to toilet kits of the type wherein a mirror is associated with a container for a comb, both of which may be used conjointly while dressing the hair, and it particularly appertains to that species thereof whose size and configuration enable it to be carried conveniently'in a persons pocket.

Afn important object of the invention is to produce an improved toilet article of the type aforesaid in which a looking-glass or equivalent reflective surface shall be so combined with a pocket-comb case that one may fold compactly upon the other, and while in that state the former will receive adequate protection from the latter by being turned inwardly toward the same. l

Another object is to provide a combination device of the class mentioned, designed in such a way that the case can be grasped asa handle from either end at option, and held thereby when looking into the glass or mirror, whether or not thecomb be used in the meantime.

A further objectis the provision, in an article of the nature set forth, of a certain arrangement of parts that will present a centrally located aperture permitting engagement of the middle portion of the combs teeth by the thumb-nail or some small tool when sliding the comb out of its container, and moreover` afford open terminals at both ends of the latter for similar purposes'.

Still another object is the production of a deviceof the character described having on the side of the case remote from that where the mirror folds, a flat. smooth surface adapted for the engravingof. a rule divided up into inches or other notations of meas-', urement, primarily indicating the actual length of the comb sold as a part of the toilet article, and furthermore 'offering an essentially portable implement of mensuration to the itinerant artisan or other person desirous of traveling with a fair supply of useful accessories,fbut without being burdened by cumbersometools and appliances,

1922. sei-iai Netvazas.

. A still further object istofurnish an article of the' genus alluded to, made of only two pieces of material, of minimum Size and weight, readily inserted into a persons pocket or retracted therefrom, and amenable to low cost of manufacture. V

Other objects and advantages'of the invention will become apparent as the specification proceeds.

With the aforesaid objects in view, Vthe invention consists of the novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in their preferred embodiments, pointed out in the subjoined claims, and illustrated on the annexed drawing, wherein like parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views. Succinctly outlined, the invention constituting the subject-matter hereof'comprises a container of peculiar formation, adapted to receive a conventional comb such as is provided ordinarily for gentlemans use, and a movable reflective surface hingedly attached to the said container so as to be Vfoldable thereover. A practical embodiment of this invention admits of its being made of two pieces cut or stamped out of` a sheet o-f appropriate`material, one vof which constitutes a blank wherewith to form the comb container, while the other is made up into a frame for the said reflective surface, the latter preferably consisting of a plain silvered glass or mirror. The blank is doubled upon itself in a single direction to provide a sheath corresponding in cross-section to that of the comb, which it is intended to receive. Both endsV of this sheath are left open, so that the comb may be slid in and out either way, at will. Centrally of the blank, a certain portion of it is struck out in such a manner as to produce an open gap or Vaperture that will leave part of the combs teeth exposed, and at the same time present an outwardly projectingi ledge. to which the said mirror frame can be joined by a hinge connection. The 100 frame affords a complete back Support for the mirror, as well as edge `retainers for the same. Moreover, the connection therefor is such that the mirror faces the comb container and admits of being brought down v105 utilized by inscribing or impressing there- ,110

on a standard scale of measurement, comprising inches or centimeters and their respective sub-graduations.

The advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized when all of its features and instrumentalities are combined in the one and same structure, but, useful devices may be produced embodying less than the whole.

l It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, upon becoming conversant with the details thereof, that the same may be incorporated in several different constructions. The accompanying drawing. therefore, is submitted merely as showing the preferred exempliiication of the invention.

ln the said drawing .Figure I is a top plan View of this im'- proved toilet article, showing the parts thereof in closed relation;

Fig. Il is a front edge view of the same, looking upwardly from the lowermost line of the preceding figure;

1F ig. IH is a view similar to Fig. 1, but with the component parts of the article shown in open position;

Fig. IV is a bottom plan view, exhibiting the article on the opposite side from that appearing in Fig. I;

Fig. V is an end view, also representing the article closed as in Fig. I, looking from the left-hand side of this same figure; and

Fig. VI is a transverse section taken from the line VI-VI of Fig. Hl, looking toward the left, in the direction indicatedby the arrows appertaining to the view last named.

The container for the comb, as herein` before stated, may well be made ofa single piece of material, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated by the drawing hereto annexed. A wide choice of material is available for this purpose, such for instance as sheet-metal, ceiluloid, stiff leather, or in` durated fiber. Preferably, the material is cut or stamped out in the shape of an oblong rectangular blank, which upon being doubled upon itself by a simple fold forms an open-ended sheath, as 11, adapted to receive a gentlemans comb A, slidable either way in and out of the same.

in fashioning the above mentioned sheath or case for the comb, care is taken to give it a slightlyy cuneiform outline, that it may the bet-ter conform to the correspondingcontour of the hair-dressing implement therein contained, one edge of the sheath being made somewhat deeper than the other, to accommodate the back and teeth of the comb, respectively. The material employed for the container is also suiiiciently stiff or tightly drawn between its opposite edges to provide a snugfit for the comb within, so that the latter may not work loose or spontaneously slide out when set in an upright position,

notwithstanding that the sheath is kept open at the ends. However, it is not intended that any diiiiculty should be experi enced in unsheathing the comb, whenever wanted, and therefore its opposite extremities are left partially exposed on one side of the container, preferably the upper face thereof, as represented in Fig. Hl. lSegmental incisions 15, 16 are made for the purpose in'both ends of the sheath, as this view indicates. These incisions or cutaway portions, it will be observed, not only show at first glance the presence or absence of the comb, but also afford a ready access thereto, so that it can be quickly retracted from the container, no matter how close the fit, by exertingalight pull or pressure on its outermost teeth at either end, with the thumb-nail or otherwise.

Besides the open terminals that enable it to be reached from both ends while sheathed, the comb is provided with another means of access at or near the middle of t-he container. This is exemplified in Figs. III and VI, where the upper face of the container appears as having an open gap or aperture 19, formed therein at one edge. It will be noted that the gap or aperture 19 leaves an intermediate portion of the comb Aexposed to vie-w, including part of its teeth, which can be engaged by a Ifinger-nail, or any simple tool inserted at that point, and therefore be dislodged by sliding them ofi' from the center of the container, as effectively if not more so as when the combs outer teeth are taken hold of through the segmental cut-away portions previously mentioned with reference to the said terminals. f

The said aperture 19 is conveniently produced by cutting or stamping a rectangular piece, as 2l, out of the blank from which the before described sheath for the comb is formed. The piece 21, however, is not completely severed. from the blank, but turned outwardly with relation to one edge of the sheath, as clearly seen in Figs. Ill to V1, inclusive. It thus constitutes a ledge or shelf-like extension to the container, later? ally offset therefrom, which serves both as a connecting and supporting means for the mirror before spoken of as associated with the said container, and hereinafter more particularly described.

Any suitable reflective surface directly connected with the comb case or container would suiiice to carry out the objects of the invention relating to the combination of devices that constitute the improved toilet article herein disclosed. But, in the present embodiment of the invention, it is deemed preferable to use an ordinary mirror and rovide a special or separate frame thereor, as previously intimated. By preference also, this frame, designated by the llG and fully covers the back thereof, Aas best seen in Fig. I. The blank forming the frame is turned inwardly over the edges of Vthe mirror plate and thus furnishes retainers for the same, as indicated at 26, in Figs. III and VI. c Y i Connection between the comb container and the mirror frame is made preferably at the outer margin ofthe ledge 21, hereinabove described. With this end in view, the adjoining sides of thel container and frame are provided with coacting hinge members, as 3l, 32, and 33, embracing a common hinge-pin 34, that constitutes a pivotal axis about which the mirror as a whole (including frame and glass) can be swung back and forth, as needed in the use of the article. A certain rigidity may be imparted to the hinge, so that the mirror, which of its very nature is of lifght weight, will stand at any desired angle on its axis, when set up in an open position, such for instance as depicted in Fig. VI of the accompanying drawing.

Due to its pivotal connection with the ledge of the comb container, the mirror aforedescribed is enabled to be folded down flat upon the apertured face of the latter, in the manner represented in Fig. I. Its lower or rear edge then reclines over the shelf-like extension 2l of the container and is protected thereby. At the same time, the major portion of the mirrors face being turned inward and lying upon the adjacent face of the container also receives full protection. Consequently the folded article, composed of the container, the comb therein, and the mirror, can be quickly thrust into the users pocket without fear of the reflective surface becoming scratched or fractured, as happens in other constructions where it is outwardly exposed.

Inasmuch as the under face of the case or container l1 is free from incisions or apertures and therefore remains smooth throughout, it can be utilized as a measuring implement, as suggested in Fig. IV. Thus, as illustrated in this view, the coritainers underside is adapted to bear a graduated scale C, showing inches and intermediate fractional denominations, such as sixteen'ths, for example. is that it plainly indicates to the purchaser of the article the exact length of the comb which he is buying, and consequently satisfies him that there can be no misrepresentation on that score. More important still is the fact that the buyer is provided, free of all charge, with a valuable instrument of mensuration of an eminently portable namargin thereof.

One advantage of this scale.

t'urea'nd likely 'toi prove useful fat any time or place when the article is carried on the person.

Having described my invention what I desire to secure by Letters Patent and claim,

intermediate'connecting 'means enabling said surface to fold inwardly over the adjacent side of the comb container. `2. A toilet article of the character described including, in combination,V a sheath for a pocket comb, a mirror of shorter length associated therewith, and a connection serving to maintain the latter in operative position intermediate the longitudinal terminals of the former, whereby unobstructed grasping portions are provided to hold the sheath from either end thereof at option while looking into the mirror.

3. A toilet article of the character described including, in combination, a container consisting of a sheath adapted to receive a pocket-comb lodged therein, and a reflective surface spaced edgewise from 'the corresponding portions of said sheath, being movably connected to the longitudinal 4. A toilet article of the character described including, in combination, a container formed from a blank folded so as to correspond in shape to 'that of a pocket comb deposited therein, a reflective surface oscillatable about a pivotal axis extending by one of the longer sides of said container in a longitudinal direction, and a hinged connection joining the container laterally to said surface.

5. A toilet article of the character described including, in combination, a container consisting of a sheath havinginternal dimensions approximately equal to the external dimensions of a pocket comb fitting therein, means providing. for ingress and egress o f the comb from either end of said sheath at the users will, and a mirror foldable laterally over the container intcrmediate of said means.

6. A toilet article of the character described including. in combination, a container consisting of an open-ended sheath adapted temporarily to retain a pocket comb slidable therethrough, said sheath being incised to afford access to either end of the comb, and a mirror pivotally attached to one of the longitudinal sides of said container intermediate of its terminals, said comb being removable from either end of the sheath in any position of said mirror. v

7. A toilet article of the character described including, in combination, a contrainer consisting of a sheath conforming in shape to that of a pocket comb insertible endvvise therein, said sheath having an intermediate aperture providing for a partial exposure of the comb, and a mirror hingedly attached laterally to said container so as to enable it to be folded thereon over said aperture.

8. A toilet article of the character dcscribed including, in'combination, a container formed from a blank folded over in a lateral direction to provide an open-ended sheath adapted to receive a pocket comb slidable endivise thereinto, part of said blank being struck o ut to constitute an outwardly extended ledge projecting from said sheath7 incidentally 'producing an aperture affording access tosubstantially the central portion of the comb, a mirror associated With said container, and Vmeans pivotally connecting said mirror to the outer 'marginof said ledge. i v Y 9.- A toilet article of the character described including, a container comprising a sheath lfor a pocket comb and a shelf-like eX- tension at one of the longitudinalV sides thereof, combined'vvith a foldable mirror hinged to said extensionand arranged to lie 'latvvise inwardly over both the latter and the body of Said sheath, upon being folded.

JESSE MAOINNES. 

